Gurye Hyangje Julpungnyu (String Ensemble of Gurye)

The instrumental suite known as Hyeonak Yeongsanhoesang (絃樂靈山會相), transmitted in Gurye, South Jeolla Province, is called the Gurye Hyangje Julpungnyu. Yeongsanhoesang refers to an ensemble piece made up of several pieces of music combined like a suite, and is also called pungnyu. A Yeongsanhoesang centred on wind instruments is called Gwanak Yeongsanhoesang or Daepungnyu, and one centred on string instruments is called Hyeonak Yeongsanhoesang or Julpungnyu. Julpungnyu was performed somewhat differently depending on whether it was transmitted in Seoul or in the provinces, and to distinguish the provincial tradition from the one transmitted in Seoul it is called Hyangje ('local-style') Julpungnyu. Pungnyu, that is, Yeongsanhoesang, began in the early Joseon period as a vocal piece performed at a court festival called Narye, sung to words expressing Buddhist doctrine under the title 'Yeongsanhoesangbulbosal'. It later changed into a purely instrumental piece, and by having other instrumental pieces attached to it, developed into a large suite that became Korea's representative ensemble piece by the late Joseon period. Gwanak Yeongsanhoesang and Hyeonak Yeongsanhoesang appear to have diverged from one another in the mid-Joseon period, and Hyeonak Yeongsanhoesang, that is, Julpungnyu, developed as a quiet music performed mainly indoors. Gyeongje Julpungnyu, the Seoul-style tradition, and Hyangje Julpungnyu appear to have diverged from one another in the late Joseon period. The instruments used in Julpungnyu are the geomungo, gayageum, yanggeum, se-piri, daegeum, haegeum, danso and janggo. Because Julpungnyu is music performed quietly indoors, string instruments such as the geomungo, gayageum and yanggeum form its core, while the wind instruments play a supporting role. The wind instruments are therefore played as softly as possible, and the piri used is the se-piri, a thin piri with a small volume of sound. Amid the deep, resonant 'seulgideung' tone of the geomungo, which marks its beats only sparingly, the piri, daegeum and haegeum weave long, decorative melodies, quiet and elegant, giving a sense of the realm of the immortals. Gurye Hyangje Julpungnyu is a large suite made up of fifteen pieces: Daseureum, Sangyeongsan (also called Bonyeongsan), Jungyeongsan, Seyeongsan (also called Janyeongsan), Garakdeori, Samhyeondodeuri, Dodeuri, Hahyeondodeuri, Yeombuldodeuri, Taryeong, Gunak, Gyemyeon Garakdodeuri, Yangcheongdoreuri, Ujo Garakdodeuri and Gutgeori. The Gyeongje Julpungnyu transmitted at the National Gugak Center does not include the Daseureum or the Gutgeori. The section from Daseureum to Jungyeongsan is called Bonpungnyu ('main pungnyu'), that from Seyeongsan to Gunak is called Janpungnyu ('minor pungnyu'), and that from Gyemyeon Garakdodeuri to Gutgeori is called Dwitpungnyu ('closing pungnyu'). Bonpungnyu is extremely slow, deep and leisurely; Janpungnyu is a little faster, stately and firm; and Dwitpungnyu is bright and cheerful. Performing the whole piece takes about seventy minutes.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Gurye, Jeonnam & Gwangju

Designation

National Intangible Heritage · 국가무형유산